Thumb forcep and needle holder



THUMB FORCEP AND NEEDLE HOLDER Filed Dec. 14, 1948 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to thumb forceps used in surgical operations for grasping the tissues while suturing a wound.

An important object of the invention is to provide thumb forceps of this character having means whereby the surgical needle used in suturing a wound, may be gripped, after the needle has penetrated the tissues and has become exposed, thereby providing means for drawing the needle through the tissues.

Another important object of the invention is to provide means whereby the needle will be firmly held while it is being pulled through the tissues, thereby eliminating any possibility of the needle slipping or tearing the tissues while suturing a wound.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing Figure l is a perspective view of a thumb forcep used in surgical operations, constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, portions of the blades of the forceps, being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental longitudinal sectional view through the blades of the forceps, as closed in gripping the needle used in suturing a wound.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference character 5 indicates the upper blade of the forceps, while the reference character 6 indicates the lower blade thereof, the blades having teeth I and that grip the tissues during the suturing of a wound.

As clearly shown by Fig. 1 of the drawing, the forceps are constructed of yieldable metal, so that when holding the forceps and pressing the upper blade towards the lower blade 6, the teeth will be brought together to accomplish the purpose of the forceps.

Formed in the upper blade 5, is an elongated opening 9 that has its outer end spaced an appreciable distance from the outer end of the blade 5 or teeth I.

Adjacent to the outer end of the elongated opening 9, is a transversely disposed jaw I!) that cooperates with the jaw ll extending inwardly from the lower blade 6, the jaws l0 and H being so disposed that the inner inclined edge or surface of the jaw in will cooperate with the outer inclined surface of the jaw II in gripping the needle used in suturing a wound, the needle in the present showing being indicated by the reference character A.

The jaw II is formed at the inner end of the notch l2 that extends inwardly from the outer end of the blade 6 so that in positioning the forceps in gripping and drawing the needle, the blade 6 may be slid in position over the needle, and the blade 6 moved to engage the needle and grip the needle, the needle passing through the elongated opening 9, in a manner illustrated by Fig. 3 of the drawing.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, the forceps may be used in grasping the tissues while suturing a wound, and then after the needle has been extended through the tissues, the forceps may be used in gripping the needle in drawing the needle through the tissues to position the wire commonly used in suturing a wound.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A surgical forceps embodying a pair of normally spaced yieldable blades connected at their inner ends, one of said blades having an opening elongated longitudinally of the blade adjacent to the free end thereof, the opposite blade having a notch extending inwardly from its free end, said opening and notch accommodating a needle used in suturing a wound, and cooperating jaws on the blades for gripping the needle entering through the opening and slot of the blades, whereby the needle is pulled through the tissues being sutured.

2. A surgical forceps embodying a pair of normally spaced yieldable blades connected at their inner ends, jaws formed at the free ends of the blades, said jaws cooperating in grasping tissues while suturing a wound, one of said jaws having an elongated opening extending inwardly from the free end thereof, the opposite blade having an opening elongated longitudinally thereof, the latter opening being spaced from the free end of the blade in which it is formed, jaws extending inwardly from the blades adjacent to the ends of the openings, and spaced from the first-mentioned jaws.

GODFREY J. KADAVY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,315,326 Gmeiner Mar. 30, 1943 2,468,823 Housepian May 3, 1949 

